1950 Fifa World Cup Qualification

Brazil, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

1950 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Tournament details
Dates	2 June 1949 - 15 April 1950
Teams	34 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	26
Goals scored	121 (4.65 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Jack Rowley Horacio Casarín Luis de la Fuente Željko Čajkovski (4 goals each)
← 1938 1954 →

The remaining 32 teams were divided into 10 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

• Groups 1 to 6 – Europe: 7 places, contested by 18 teams (including Israel and Syria).
• Groups 7 to 9 – The Americas: 6 places, contested by 10 teams.
• Group 10 – Asia: 1 place, contested by 4 teams.

However, due to the withdrawals of India, Scotland and Turkey after qualifying, only 13 teams actually competed in the final tournament.

A total of 19 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 26 qualifying matches were played, and 121 goals were scored (an average of 4.65 per match).

Listed below are the dates and results of the qualification rounds.

The 10 groups had different rules, as follows:

• Group 1 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
• Groups 2, 3 and 4 had 3 teams each. The strongest team of each group was seeded. There would be two rounds of play:
  • First Round: The seeded team received a bye and advanced to final round directly. The 2 unseeded teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to final round.
  • Final Round: The seeded team played against the winner of the First Round on a home-and-away basis. The winner would qualify.
• Group 5 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
• Group 6 had 2 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
• Group 7 had 3 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
• Group 8 had 4 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
• Group 9 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other twice. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
• Group 10 had 4 teams. The group winner would qualify.

Group 1

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	England	3	3	0	0	14	3	+11	6
2	Scotland	3	2	0	1	10	3	+7	4
3=	Wales	3	0	1	2	1	6	−5	1
3=	Ireland (IFA)	3	0	1	2	4	17	−13	1

1 October 1949

Ireland (IFA)	2–8	Scotland
Smyth   50', 59'	Report	Morris   2', 70', 88' Waddell   5', 31' (pen.) Steel   23' Reilly   24' Mason   80'

Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Attendance: 50,000

Referee: Reginald Mortimer (England)

15 October 1949

Wales	1–4	England
Griffiths   80'	Report	Mortensen   22' Milburn   29', 34', 66'

Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales

Attendance: 60,000

Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)

9 November 1949

Scotland	2–0	Wales
McPhail   25' Linwood   78'	Report

Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland

Attendance: 73,782

Referee: S.K. Law (England)

16 November 1949

England	9–2	Ireland (IFA)
Rowley   6', 47', 56', 58' Froggatt   25' Mortensen   35', 50' Pearson   33', 68'	Report	Smyth   55' Brennan   75'

Maine Road, Manchester, England

Attendance: 57,000

Referee: Mervyn Griffiths (Wales)

8 March 1950

Wales	0–0	Ireland (IFA)
	Report

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales

Attendance: 60,000

Referee: Reginald Leafe (England)

15 April 1950

Scotland	0–1	England
	Report	Bentley   64'

Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland

Attendance: 138,000

Referee: Reginald Leafe (England)

England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to participate.

Group 2

First round

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Turkey	1	1	0	0	7	0	+7	2
2	Syria	1	0	0	1	0	7	−7	0

20 November 1949

Turkey	7–0	Syria
Cansever   12', 16', 87' Eken   44' Kücükandonyadis   66' Keskin   67' Kilic   72'	Report

19 Mayıs Stadium, Ankara, Turkey

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Antonio Gamba (Italy)

Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played.

Turkey advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	Qualification
—	Turkey	0	0	Qualified, later withdrew
—	Austria	0	0	Withdrew

Austria withdrew, so Turkey qualified automatically. But Turkey later also withdrew, and FIFA offered the place to Portugal, the runner-up of Group 6, but they declined. FIFA decided not to allow anyone else to qualify, leaving the World Cup two teams short.

Group 3

First round

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Yugoslavia	2	2	0	0	11	2	+9	4
2	Israel	2	0	0	2	2	11	−9	0

21 August 1949

Yugoslavia	6–0	Israel
Pajević   12', 19', 26' Senčar   44' Že. Čajkovski   63' Bobek   83' (pen.)	Report

JNA Stadion, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)

18 September 1949

Israel	2–5	Yugoslavia
Glazer   65', 76'	Report	Valok   19', 64' Bobek   20' Zl. Čajkovski   41' Že. Čajkovski   82'

Maccabiah Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Yosef Kinstlich (Cyprus)

Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	France	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
1	Yugoslavia	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2

9 October 1949

Yugoslavia	1–1	France
Že. Čajkovski   36'	Report	Baillot   55'

JNA Stadion, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Attendance: 50,000

Referee: Karel van der Meer (Netherlands)

30 October 1949

France	1–1	Yugoslavia
Baillot   8'	Report	Bobek   44'

Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France

Attendance: 53,569

Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)

France 2–2 Yugoslavia on aggregate, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.

11 December 1949

Yugoslavia	3–2 (a.e.t.)	France
Mihajlović   12', 84' (pen.) Že. Čajkovski   114'	Report	Walter   13' Luciano   83'

Stadio Giovanni Berta, Florence, Italy

Attendance: 25,000

Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)

Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. France initially accepted, but later declined.

Group 4

First round

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Switzerland	2	2	0	0	8	4	+4	4
2	Luxembourg	2	0	0	2	4	8	−4	0

26 June 1949

Switzerland	5–2	Luxembourg
Maillard   20' Fatton   30', 41' Ballaman   48' Antenen   59'	Report	Wagner   3' Reuter   88'

Hardturm, Zürich, Switzerland

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Charles Delasalle (France)

18 September 1949

Luxembourg	2–3	Switzerland
Muller   3' Kremer   38'	Report	Maillard   1' Friedländer   59' Fatton   75'

Stade Municipal, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Pierre Theunen (Belgium)

Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	Qualification
—	Switzerland	0	0	Qualified
—	Belgium	0	0	Withdrew

Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.

Group 5

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Sweden	2	2	0	0	6	2	+4	4
2	Ireland (FAI)	4	1	1	2	6	7	−1	3
3	Finland	2	0	1	1	1	4	−3	1

2 June 1949

Sweden	3–1	Ireland (FAI)
Andersson   17' (pen.) Jeppson   37' Liedholm   69'	Report	Walsh   9'

Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden

Attendance: 36,200

Referee: Louis Baert (Belgium)

8 September 1949

Ireland (FAI)	3–0	Finland
Gavin   35' Martin   44' (pen.), 68'	Report

Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland

Attendance: 36,000

Referee: W.H.E. Evan (England)

9 October 1949

Finland	1–1	Ireland (FAI)
Vaihela   89'	Report	Farrell   65'

Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland

Attendance: 13,437

Referee: Johan Bronkhorst (Netherlands)

13 November 1949

Ireland (FAI)	1–3	Sweden
Martin   61' (pen.)	Report	Palmér   4', 40', 68'

Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland

Attendance: 43,000

Referee: William Ling (England)

Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland (FAI) were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity because of travelling costs.

Sweden beat Finland 8–1 on 2 October 1949 in Malmö. However, FIFA's website does not include this match in the list of matches or in the group standings. RSSSF's website lists the match with the note "Sweden played B-team", and does not provide group standings.

Group 6

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Spain	2	1	1	0	7	3	+4	3
2	Portugal	2	0	1	1	3	7	−4	1

2 April 1950

Spain	5–1	Portugal
Zarra   11', 58' Basora   13' Panizo   15' Molowny   65'	Report	Cabrita   36'

Estadio Nuevo Chamartín, Madrid, Spain

Attendance: 80,000

Referee: Reg Leafe (England)

9 April 1950

Portugal	2–2	Spain
Travassos   51' Correia   53'	Report	Zarra   24' Gaínza   82'

Jamor, Lisbon, Portugal

Attendance: 30,000

Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)

Spain qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.

Group 7

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	Qualification
1	Bolivia	0	0	Qualified
1	Chile	0	0
3	Argentina	0	0	Withdrew

Argentina withdrew, so Bolivia and Chile qualified automatically.

Group 8

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	Qualification
1	Uruguay	0	0	Qualified
1	Paraguay	0	0
3	Ecuador	0	0	Withdrew
3	Peru	0	0

Ecuador and Peru withdrew, so Uruguay and Paraguay qualified automatically.

Group 9

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Mexico	4	4	0	0	17	2	+15	8
2	United States	4	1	1	2	8	15	−7	3
3	Cuba	4	0	1	3	3	11	−8	1

4 September 1949

United States	0–6	Mexico
	Report	Flores   20' Luna   30' de la Fuente   37', 55', 58' Septién   85'

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 60,000

Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)

11 September 1949

Mexico	2–0	Cuba
Luna   26' Casarín   57'	Report

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 60,000

Referee: Prudencio García (United States)

14 September 1949

Cuba	1–1	United States
Gómez   28'	Report	Wallace   23'

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 8,000

18 September 1949

Mexico	6–2	United States
Ortiz   14' Casarín   23', 41', 76' de la Fuente   47' Ochoa   89'	Report	Souza   52' Wattman   90'

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 30,000

Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)

21 September 1949

United States	5–2	Cuba
Bahr   16' Souza   23' Matevich   30', 35' Wallace   48'	Report	Barquín   42' Veiga   50'

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)

25 September 1949

Mexico	3–0	Cuba
Naranjo   44', 88' Flores   58'	Report

Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Prudencio García (United States)

Mexico and the United States qualified.

Group 10

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	Qualification
1	India	0	0	Qualified
3	Burma	0	0	Withdrew
3	Indonesia	0	0
3	Philippines	0	0

Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines all withdrew before the draw, so India qualified automatically. But India later also withdrew "because of the expense of travelling such a long way to play," and the AIFF wanted to concentrate on the 1952 Olympics. Although according to some reports, it was caused by a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot. FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.

 

 

Team	Finals appearance	Streak	Last appearance
Bolivia	2nd	1	1930
Brazil (H)	4th	4	1938
Chile	2nd	1	1930
England	1st	1	–
India	1st	1	–
Italy (c)	3rd	3	1938
Mexico	2nd	1	1930
Paraguay	2nd	1	1930
Spain	2nd	1	1934
Scotland	1st	1	–
Sweden	3rd	3	1938
Switzerland	3rd	3	1938
Turkey	1st	1	–
United States	3rd	1	1934
Uruguay	2nd	1	1930
Yugoslavia	2nd	1	1930

•   India,   Scotland and   Turkey withdrew after qualifying.
• (H) – qualified automatically as hosts
• (c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

• At the start of 1950 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland-based IFA and the Republic of Ireland-based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era played for both teams. Four players – Tom Aherne, Reg Ryan, Davy Walsh and Con Martin – actually played for both the FAI XI and the IFA XI in these qualifying rounds. FIFA intervened, after complaints from the FAI, and subsequently restricted players' eligibility based on the political border. In 1953 FIFA ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland.
• For the third qualifying tournament in a row, the South American teams qualified automatically after withdrawals. In Group 7, Bolivia and Chile did play two matches between them, but they were not classified as official World Cup qualifiers by FIFA.
• Burma, the Philippines and Indonesia all withdrew, so India qualified automatically. However, India withdrew later because of "disagreements over team selection and insufficient practice time.". India had never been able to qualify for the World Cup before and have never been able to do since then, which means they are the only team to have qualified for the World Cup and that never played a World Cup match.
• Germany and Japan were both banned because of their actions during World War II, Italy, despite originally being a member of the Axis powers, was allowed to participate because its government was overthrown in 1943 and the new government sided with the Allies.